HBD, part of Henry Boot, has secured planning approval for Colloco, a 200,000 sq ft office development, in the St John's District of Manchester city centre.

The developer is now seeking a joint venture partner to deliver the highly sustainable Grade A office scheme.

Situated on the corner of New Quay Street and Gartside Street and formerly the LTE Group's Manchester College, Colloco will comprise 16 storeys of high-quality flexible accommodation. It will include communal spaces at ground floor level with a concierge reception, a roof pavilion with breakout and events space, and access to a landscaped garden terrace with views across the city. Each suite will also have its own private external terrace.

Designed by EPR Architects, with Asteer Planning acting as planning consultants, Colloco has been designed with sustainability at its core; the scheme will be built to Net Zero Carbon in both construction and operation and is targeting an EPC A and BREEAM Excellent ratings. It will also be compliant with British Council for Offices standards and include a host of amenities aligned with the WELL building standards.


Sitting between St John’s and Spinningfields the area around Colloco is a vibrant hub for businesses in the media, technology, and creative sectors. In 2023, the district saw the opening of the new Aviva Studios, establishing its status as the epicentre of cultural and creative activity in the region.

Securing planning and seeking a joint venture partner for Colloco comes a week after HBD and Greater Manchester Pension Fund topped out at Island, a 100,000 sq ft net zero carbon, smart-enabled Grade A office scheme on John Dalton Street in Manchester.

Adam Brady, Executive Director at HBD commented: "Colloco represents a new era in workspace design. The building looks to attract dynamic, forward-thinking organisations, which see collaboration and the health and wellbeing of their employees as fundamental to the success of their business.”

"We are pleased with the planning approval which is recognition of the value that a scheme such as Colloco will bring to the city. It will be one of the most sustainable new office buildings in the regional market at a time when high-profile businesses are looking to occupy space which will support their Net Zero Carbon commitments."

The project team includes Arcadis EPR Architects; Asteer Planning, Curtins, Hoare Lea and Ramboll.